Articles

Inspire a love of learning through phonics.

Whether you’re a teacher, family member, tutor, or childcare professional, you can have a positive impact on a child’s life. One of the most extraordinary gifts a child ever receives is the ability to read and write.

Although literacy doesn’t come naturally to humans, it’s an essential part of our everyday lives. Explicit, effective, and encouraging phonics instruction is vital to creating a more literate world.  Explore the trusted resources, articles, and reviews from phonics.org to instill a love of learning in someone you care about.

Phonics Resources for All

Learn 25 common root words and practical activities to help your child connect decoding skills with meaning, boosting reading comprehension and academic success.

Root Word Meaning: Building Vocabulary Through Phonics

Have you ever watched your child struggle with an unfamiliar word, sounding it out...

Discover how to transform your child from sounding out words to reading smoothly with these fun, practical strategies that build reading fluency.

Building Reading Fluency at Home

Remember that heart-warming moment when your child first recognized their name in print? The...

Discover evidence-based reading comprehension strategies that build on explicit phonics instruction.

Reading Comprehension Strategies: Building on Phonics Foundations

Ever watched your child perfectly sound out every word in a story, only to...

Discover effective phonics for kids with age-appropriate activities that make learning to read fun and engaging!

Phonics for Kids: Age-Appropriate Activities for Early Readers

Learning to read is one of the most significant milestones in a child’s early...

Learn how open and closed syllables help children decode words. Essential phonics skill for reading success!

How Open and Closed Syllables Build Strong Readers

Ever watched a young reader encounter a long, unfamiliar word? They might stare at...

Discover how text-to-speech technology can support struggling readers while complementing phonics instruction.

Text-to-Speech: Supporting Early Readers Through Assistive Technology

Ever watched a child’s face light up when they finally understand a story that...

Learn practical strategies to support young writers, understand developmental stages, and connect phonics instruction to meaningful writing experiences that benefit both reading and writing proficiency.

Supporting Early Writers: Connecting Phonics to Writing Development

Ever watched a child laboriously sound out each letter as they attempt to spell...

Digital vs. Traditional Phonics: Learn strategies to choose the right approach for your child's reading needs and effectively combine both methods for optimal results.

Digital vs. Traditional Phonics: What Research Says

If you’re a parent of a child struggling with reading skills, you’ve likely found...

Discover how to use 'A Bad Case of Stripes' to teach explicit, systematic phonics principles.

Book Review: “A Bad Case of Stripes”

David Shannon’s vibrant picture book “A Bad Case of Stripes,” tells the whimsical story...

Discover 10 engaging activities to help your child develop essential phonics skills through rhythm and sound segmentation.

Practical Activities to Build Rhythm and Segmentation Skills

Teaching sound segmentation doesn’t require expensive materials or formal training—just enthusiasm and consistency! The...

Reading.com App Review

Reading.com App Review

A Unique, Research-Based Approach to Teaching Children to Read At phonics.org, we evaluate phonics programs designed for children—empowering you to make informed decisions about the most suitable apps for your…

Building Phonics Skills Through Winter Traditions

Building Phonics Skills Through Winter Traditions

Your child watches snowflakes drift past the window, clutching a mug of warm apple cider. The holiday lights glow softly in the corner. A stack of books waits on the…

Hanukkah Books That Support Early Reading Skills

Hanukkah Books That Support Early Reading Skills

The menorah glows on the kitchen counter. Your preschooler watches the first candle flicker and asks, “Can we read a Hanukkah story?” You reach for a colorful picture book, and…

New Year’s Stories That Build Reading Skills

New Year’s Stories That Build Reading Skills

New Year’s brings fresh starts, new goals, and celebrations around the world. You pull out a stack of colorful books. Each one exploring different traditions and the magic of new…

Matching Books to Phonics Features

Matching Books to Phonics Features

You open a picture book with your four-year-old. The words dance across the page in predictable patterns. Your child giggles at silly animal sounds, then surprises you by chanting along…

Christmas Books For Reading Practice

Christmas Books For Reading Practice

Your child snuggles beside you on a cold December evening, eyes bright with anticipation as you open a holiday book. The pages smell like fresh print and possibility. Outside, snowflakes…

Phonics Training Events and Conferences in 2026: Your Complete Guide

Phonics Training Events and Conferences in 2026: Your Complete Guide

2026 brings an exceptional lineup of professional learning opportunities for educators committed to evidence-based phonics instruction. Whether you’re a classroom teacher seeking to refine your skills, a reading specialist supporting…

Holiday Books With Good Phonics Practice: 10 Festive Reads for Emerging Readers

Holiday Books With Good Phonics Practice: 10 Festive Reads for Emerging Readers

The twinkling lights are up, cookies are baking, and your eager young reader wants to dive into every holiday book on the shelf. But here’s the wonderful secret many parents…

Twice-Exceptional Readers: Phonics for Gifted Students with Dyslexia

Twice-Exceptional Readers: Phonics for Gifted Students with Dyslexia

Picture a seven-year-old who can explain the water cycle in stunning detail, design elaborate engineering projects with building blocks, and engage in conversations that rival those of much older children.…

Dojo Sparks App Review

Dojo Sparks App Review

Updated: 12-18-25 Dojo Sparks combines systematic phonics teaching with voice recognition technology designed to coach young readers. The program teaches letter-sound relationships, blending, and early word reading through game-like activities.…

Phonics Professional Development: Programs That Actually Work

Phonics Professional Development: Programs That Actually Work

Rachel teaches first grade in a suburban elementary school. Last year, she watched five of her students struggle through every reading lesson while their classmates progressed steadily. She tried different…